Ocean FM News Reports

Any increases that Local Authorities will receive  form the collection of property taxes will be needed to cover the mounting costs facing County Councils on an annual basis. The the view of a Sligo Ballymote Tubbercurry Councillor.     There is speculation that the Local Authorities in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal are to get a budget boost of at least 1.5 million euro from the Depart...

This month's meeting of Sligo County Council has heard calls for the introduction of a minor injuries unit to help ease the strain on the already-struggling health system. The facilities would be located at the primary care centres throughout the county. Only last week, Sligo University Hospital was listed as the fourth most overcrowded facility in the country. Conditions in the hospital in Sligo...

The government is being accused of having left themselves with no choice other than to reduce speed limits due to a continued lack of investment in roads infrastructure.   Major changes to speed limits are on the way for the country's roads.   They're set to reduce on national secondary roads from 100km per hour to 80.   Other changes include from 80 km/h to 60 km/h on rural and loc...

Surprise, shock and disappointment are just some of the words being used when it comes to the reaction to the move from the government to increase the Concrete Levy.   Many have expressed surprise that such a move would have been made during a housing crisis with concern that the extra costs will lead to increased costs for developers and new home owners.   Leitrim Councillor Padraig Fal...

Solidarity People Before Profit Councillor Gino O'Boyle has called for Ireland to join the ever-increasing number of European countries that have scrapped the licence fee for public broadcasting.     It was previously reported that TV licence revenue is down nearly €3.7 million since RTÉ was engulfed in controversy over payments to presenter Ryan Tubridy.     Speaking to Ocean...

The Leitrim Local Government Management Agency to make every effort to prevent any further strike action by fire fighters. SIPTU Retained Fire Fighters have voted to accept proposals from the Workplace Relations Commission aimed at resolving a dispute over pay and conditions. In a ballot of SIPTU members, 63% voted in favour of the deal. Since June, around 2,000 retained firefighters had been enga...

Bundoran-based Councillor Michael McMahon has also echoed the calls for the lifeguard cover to be extended at Bundoran beach.       The Sinn Féin Councillor says large crowds attended Bundoran Beach yesterday evening and had it not been for the action of the RNLI and other emergency personnel a number of serious incidents could have occurred.       He says that the Lo...

A North West based TD is predicting that one of the areas where the INMO's warnings in relation to overcrowding In hospitals will hit hardest is the North West. Yesterday Sligo and Letterkenny University Hospitals were in the top four of most over-crowded hospitals in the country with over 80 people waiting on a bed at one stage. The INMO is calling for the consistent overcrowding in hospitals to...

The Justice Minister says an increase in penalty points for speeding could be a way to deal with the rise in the number of road fatalities.   The Fine Gael minister has also suggested that more Gardai be allocated to the Roads. Policing Unit   Gardai concluded their National Slow Down Day campaign at 7am this morning checking over 142 thousand vehicles for speeding since 7am yesterday mo...

Factors such as the current Indian summer weather and the large influx of people from other counties now living in the North West should be taken into consideration before leaving beaches in this region without life guard cover.   That's the warning being issued by Donegal Municipal District councillor Barry Sweeney.   The Fine Gael elected representative has expressed concern the majori...

With the ongoing housing crisis continuing to impact the north-west region, a Sligo Councillor is calling on the local authority to take more issues to rectify the issue.     Solidarity-People Before Profit Councillor Gino O’Boyle has previously been an outspoken critic of the council’s approach to housing.   He raised the subject earlier today at the September meeting of Sligo Coun...

Trolley figures in the North West and the rest of the country should be treated as a National emergency.   Those are the views of a representative of the INMO who was reacting to the latest set of figures that placed Sligo and Letterkenny University Hospitals among the top four of most over-crowded hospitals in the country.   Despite it being early September there are over 80 people wait...

A former election candidate in the north west and representative for Good Energies Alliance Ireland has called on Fossil fuels companies to play their part in helping Ireland achieve a higher environmental grade.    The Government has been given a C-plus grade for progress on climate issues.   Independent experts say moderate progress has been made on the Government's promises aroun...

Concern has been expressed over the teacher pupil ratio in National schools in Leitrim and Donegal.   It’s being reported today Schoolchildren in parts of rural Ireland were twice as likely to be placed in overcrowded classes at primary level last year compared with pupils attending national schools in Dublin.     An analysis of class sizes in over 3,000 primary schools across the c...

A Sligo Leitrim TD is calling on the government to provide funding to make locations where road traffic are taking place safer.   There has been a sharp increase in the number of deaths on Irish roads in 2023.     The Junior Minister Jack Chambers is to meet the Justice Minister Helen McEntee do discuss the issue this week.   127 people have been killed in crashes so far this y...

A Sligo Leitrim TD is calling on the government to provide funding to make locations where road traffic are taking place safer.   There has been a sharp increase in the number of deaths on Irish roads in 2023.     The Junior Minister Jack Chambers is to meet the Justice Minister Helen McEntee do discuss the issue this week.   127 people have been killed in crashes so far this y...

Children in Hospital Ireland have announced that they will be restarting their volunteer play service in Sligo University Hospital. It's the first time the service will be back in the hospital following the pandemic, and CIH are hoping to have it up and running in the autumn. More volunteers are required before the service resumes in the coming weeks, and interest can be registered at childreninho...

A local employment service have recently refurbished their offices in Sligo in order to further cater for clients with disabilities. EmployAbility NorthWest help people with disabilities, impairments, ill mental health and other health conditions secure work in the current market. Among the new addditions to the offices are more disabled toilets, as well as one-to-one rooms for clients and a signi...

Leitrim Councillor Enda McGloin says the increase will call in the question the long term future of many hospitality busiensses. The Fine Gael elected Representative has called for a new vat beteen 9 and 13 piont 5 per cent to be struck. He says the rate for the sector should not have been changed before the sprign of 2024.

The decision to increase the VAT Hospitality VAT from 9 per cent to 13.5 has been sharply criticised by local councillors today.   The reduced rate for tourism, hospitality and some other services returned to 13.5% at midnight last night.   Ireland will now have the third highest hospitality VAT rate in Europe.   Sligo Strandhill Fianna Fáil Councillor Tom MacSharry has a motion tab...

There are fears that large areas of South Donegal could be facing long delays in the event of disruption to the water supply.   Bundoran based Councillor Mick McMahon says it’s his understanding that there will be no Irish water technician on duty to cover the area for the next number of weeks.   The Sinn Fein Councillor says that large numbers of homes and businesses could be impacted i...

A Sligo Restaurant owner has described the decision to increase the 9 per cent VAT rate as another major blow for business that are looking to recover from a summer where tourist figures were down.   The Restaurant Association of Ireland says the move by the Government will result in thousands of job losses in the sector.   The reduced rate for tourism, hospitality and some other service...

There are further calls for immediate short term measures to address overcrowding at Sligo University Hospital ahead of the winter months.   It comes as figures released yesterday have revealed that the hospital was the fourth most overcrowded nationwide in August, with a total 737 people waiting for a bed over the course of the month.   There's huge concern over what the situation will...

A Sligo Councillor has expressed concern with the latest CAMS report which focuses on the mental health care being provided to children   It’s emerged that children who are suicidal are waiting over 50 days to be seen by Mental Health Professionals, while some children's care is being carried out online from Qatar.   A series of new reports from the Mental Health Commission found 'issues...

Fine Gael Donegal County Councillor Barry Sweeney has ruled out running in the next General Election. It follows yesterday's decision by the Electoral Commission to leave parts of south Donegal in the Sligo/Leitrim constituency. A six seater constituency was not allowed for the next Dáil Éireann elections while they also ruled out two three-seater constituencies within the county. Speaking to Ocea...